Method Of Washing A Nappy And An Apparatus Therefor

ABSTRACT

A toilet ( 13 ) has a nappy holder mounted thereon. The nappy holder ( 15 ) contains a nappy (( 1 ),also known as a diaper) of the type comprising a main body portion ( 3 ) and a tongue portion ( 5 ) for collecting excreta from a baby. The nappy holder ( 15 ) is so arranged that the tongue portion is positioned away from the main body portion of the nappy, such that when the toilet is flushed, the flush washes over the tongue portion and washes excreta (such as faeces and urine) off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl. The nappy holder may have a wire frame.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for washing a nappy (or diaper), particularly a nappy having a tongue portion for collecting excreta from a baby.

It is widely believed that re-useable nappies are considerably better for the environment than disposable nappies. In particular, disposable nappies occupy a significant volume in land-fill sites and may also contain various complex chemicals, the production or disposal of which may have harmful effects on the environment. It is therefore desirable that more people use re-useable nappies. However, many people are reluctant to do so because this type of nappy is perceived as being onerous and/or unpleasant to clean, as well as being considered by some to represent a hygiene risk when washed with other clothing.

Various solutions to washing nappies have been considered. One such solution is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,971, which shows a device for cleaning a soiled nappy (referred to as a diaper in the USA). The device includes a net attached to a toilet bowl so that a soiled nappy may be placed in the net and cleaned in the water of the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed. However this arrangement is not considered to be especially effective; for example, much of the excreta would appear to simply be deposited onto other parts of the nappy during flushing and not properly removed from the nappy.

SUMMARY

The present invention seeks to provide an improved solution for washing nappies, and seeks to mitigate or remove at least some of the above-mentioned problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a toilet having a nappy holder mounted thereon, the toilet comprising a toilet bowl and the nappy holder containing a nappy comprising a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby, wherein the tongue portion of the nappy is positioned away from the main body portion of the nappy, such that when the toilet is flushed, the flush washes over the tongue portion and washes excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl. The above-described arrangement therefore allows a relatively simple, yet hygienic and effective, method of washing the nappy. In particular, the arrangement enables what is generally the most heavily soiled part of the nappy, the tongue portion, to be subjected to the vigorous flush action of the toilet, thereby mitigating the need for the person cleaning the nappy to become too involved with any unpleasant handling of the nappy.

It will be appreciated that the above-mentioned arrangement does not necessarily seek to provide a replacement for washing the nappy elsewhere (for example in a high-temperature wash in a washing machine) but instead seeks to enable removal of a significant portion of the excreta such that the nappy may be more easily, pleasantly and/or hygienically handled by the cleaner.

The nappy holder may be arranged such that the tongue portion of the nappy is positioned away from the main body portion of the nappy, such that when the toilet is flushed, the flush washes over the tongue portion and washes excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl.

The nappy comprises a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby. Such a type of nappy will be readily identifiable by a person skilled in the art. The main body portion typically comprises towelling arranged to wrap around the crotch of the baby and includes two pairs of connectors (one pair at the rear of the nappy and one pair at the front of the nappy), the opposing pairs of connectors being joinable at the hip of the baby to define two openings for the baby's legs. When the nappy is being worn, the tongue portion is typically folded up and located in the undercarriage of the nappy so as to collect excreta from the baby. It will be appreciated that the tongue and main body portions may be a number of shapes and sizes not specifically described herein. The nappy is preferably reuseable.

At least part of the tongue portion may be located outside the nappy holder. The tongue portion of the nappy may be primarily positioned outside of the nappy holder. For example, the tongue portion may be arranged to hang outside the nappy holder whilst the main body portion of the nappy is retained in the nappy holder. In such arrangements there may, of course, be a region of the tongue that is still located inside the nappy holder. Alternatively, the tongue portion may be entirely located outside of the nappy holder.

At least part of the tongue portion of the nappy may be located between the nappy holder and the toilet bowl. The tongue portion of the nappy is preferably primarily located between the nappy holder and the toilet bowl. Such an arrangement is thought to be particularly effective in avoiding contamination of the main body portion of the nappy, when excreta from the tongue portion are washed off by the flush.

At least part of the tongue portion of the nappy may directly rest against the toilet bowl. Such an arrangement seeks to ensure that the tongue portion is positioned such that a significant portion of the flush water runs over the tongue.

The nappy is preferably arranged such that the flush washes over the tongue portion and washes excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl, but does not wash over the main body portion.

Many toilets are arranged such that the main source of the flush is at the front or rear of the toilet bowl. The tongue portion is preferably arranged in the region of the toilet bowl at which the flush is strongest. The tongue portion may be arranged at the rear of the toilet bowl. The tongue portion may be arranged at the front of the toilet bowl. The tongue portion preferably extends in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the flush.

The nappy holder is preferably arranged to allow the passage of water through the nappy holder. The nappy holder may be defined, at least in part, by a perforated structure, such that the main body of the nappy may be retained in the nappy holder whilst allowing passage of water through the nappy holder. The perforated structure may take a number of forms. For example, the perforated structure may comprise flexible webbing.

The nappy holder may be defined, at least in part, by a wire frame, the frame being arranged such that the main body of the nappy may be retained in the nappy holder whilst allowing passage of water through the nappy holder. The wire frame comprises plastic-coated wire, for example, plastic-coated steel wire. The wire frame has been found to provide good structural support to the nappy holder whilst still allowing passage of water through the nappy holder. The wire frame may comprise a series of generally circular hoops, connected by interconnecting arms.

The nappy holder may comprise a lip, the main body of the nappy being held in the nappy holder but the tongue portion of the nappy passing over the lip to lie outside the nappy holder. The lip may be located on, for example, a slot in the side of the nappy holder. The nappy holder may be generally open on at least one side, an edge of the nappy holder on that side defining the lip. In an embodiment of the invention in which the nappy holder comprises a series of generally circular hoops, the lip may be defined by part of one of the hoops.

The nappy holder preferably comprises a generally bowl-shaped region for holding the main body portion of the nappy. The nappy holder is preferably arranged such that the region for holding the main body portion of the nappy is located in the toilet bowl. The region for holding the main body portion of the nappy is preferably above the water level in the base of the toilet bowl. The tongue portion of the nappy is preferably located above the water level in the base of the toilet bowl.

The overall shape of the nappy holder may be generally bowl-shaped, the base of the bowl being arranged to hold the nappy and the rim of the bowl being arranged to mount on the rim of the toilet bowl.

The nappy holder may be mounted on the toilet in a number of different ways, but is preferably arranged to rest on the rim of the toilet bowl.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a nappy holder for use as the nappy holder in any other aspect of the invention, the nappy holder being mountable on a toilet and being arranged to hold a nappy comprising a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby, the nappy holder being arranged such that during use, the tongue portion of the nappy may be positioned away from the main body portion of the nappy, such that when the toilet is flushed, the flush washes over the tongue portion and washes excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of washing a nappy comprising a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a nappy holder; (ii) placing the main body of the nappy in the nappy holder; (iii) mounting the nappy holder on a toilet; and (iv) flushing the toilet, wherein steps (i) to (iii) are such that the tongue portion of the nappy is positioned away from the main body portion of the nappy and such that when the toilet is flushed, the flush washes over the tongue portion of the nappy and washes excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl.

It will be appreciated that steps (i) to (iii), and particularly steps (ii) and (iii) may be performed in any order. For example, the nappy may be placed in the nappy holder and the nappy holder may then be mounted on the toilet, or the nappy holder may be mounted on the toilet and the nappy may then be placed in the nappy holder.

Any features described with reference to one aspect of the invention may be equally applicable to another aspect of the present invention. For example, the nappy holder according to one aspect of the present invention may incorporate any of the features of the nappy holder described with reference to the method of the invention and/or the toilet according to another aspect of the invention, and vice-versa.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b are plan views of a known nappy of the type comprising a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto, for collecting excreta from a baby;

FIG. 2 is a view of an arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention, including a toilet having a nappy holder mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the nappy holder of FIG. 2, containing the nappy of FIGS. 1 a and 1 b; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the toilet of FIG. 2, with the nappy of FIGS. 1 a and 1 b placed in the nappy holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show a known re-useable nappy 1 comprising a main body portion 3 and a tongue portion 5. In FIG. 1 a, tongue portion 5 is shown folded up and placed in the centre of main body portion 3. In use, the centre of main body portion 3 is placed around the crotch of a baby (generally between the baby's legs to cover the sources of excreta). A pair of connectors 7 and 9 are joined together to define openings 11 a and 11 b through which the baby's legs are positioned. Folded tongue portion 5 collects excreta from the baby. Such excreta includes, but is not necessarily limited to, faeces and urine. As shown in FIG. 1 b, tongue 5 may be unfolded so as to extend away from main body portion 3. Nappies of this type are known and may take a number of forms readily identifiable by the skilled man. Only one shape of nappy is shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, but it will be appreciated that the nappy may contain a tongue of any number of shapes and sizes, and the tongue may be connected at different parts of the nappy.

Re-useable nappies of the type shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b can be unpleasant to handle when soiled. There is also a reluctance to place the fully soiled nappy directly in a washing machine for health reasons and for fear of cross-contamination with other clothing. There is therefore a considerable market in disposable nappies, which are perceived to have a number of harmful environmental effects. It is therefore desirable to increase the usability of reuseable nappies.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 4, according to a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a toilet 13 (shown partially in FIGS. 2 and 4), with a nappy holder 15 mounted thereon. Toilet 13 is of a conventional design and includes a toilet bowl 17, the top edge of which is defined by a rim 19. Nappy holder 15 rests on rim 19 of toilet bowl 17. Nappy holder 15 is described in more detail below.

Nappy holder 15 includes a wire frame formed by three co-axial wire hoops 21 a-21 c, connected by interconnecting arms 23 a-23 d. The wire forming arms 23 a-23 d and hoops 21 a-21 c is plastic-coated steel wire. Nappy holder 15 is generally bowl-shaped with a lower region 27 for holding the main body of a nappy (e.g., main body portion 3 of nappy 1), and a flared upper region 29 for resting on the rim of toilet bowl 17. Lower region 27 of nappy holder 15 is positioned just above the water in the bottom of toilet bowl 17. Arms 23 a-23 d and hoops 21 a-21 c in the frame have a relatively close spacing in lower region 27 of nappy holder 15 so as to provide support for nappy 1 whilst allowing passage of water through nappy holder 15. Outermost wire hoop 21 a in upper region 29 is of a size that approximately corresponds to the diameter of toilet bowl 17. Upper region 19 of nappy holder 15 is flared such that it rests in a stable configuration on rim 19 of toilet bowl 17.

A nappy may be placed in the nappy holder in order to wash the nappy, as is described in detail below.

A nappy with a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby (for example, nappy 1 with main body portion 3 and tongue portion 5, as shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b), is placed in nappy holder 15. The nappy may be placed in holder 15 after the holder has been mounted on toilet 13, but in one embodiment of the invention, nappy 1 is first placed in nappy holder 15 and then holder 15 is mounted on toilet 13. As best shown by FIG. 3, main body portion 3 of nappy 1 is retained in lower region 27 of nappy holder 15. Tongue 5 is unravelled from its position in use, and is arranged such that it passes over a lip 31 defined by part of second hoop 21 b, and lies primarily outside of nappy holder 15.

Nappy holder 15 is then mounted on toilet 13 as shown in FIG. 4. Main body portion 3 of nappy 1 is retained in lower region 27 of holder 15, just above the water level, whereas tongue portion 5 is primarily located between nappy holder 15 and toilet bowl 17. The distal end of tongue portion 5 rests against the front of toilet bowl 17.

Toilet 13, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, is of the type having a flush that is particularly strong at the front of the toilet. To wash nappy 1, the user flushes toilet 13, thereby causing the flush (not shown) to wash over tongue portion 5 of the nappy. This vigorous flush removes at least some of the excreta (particularly any larger elements of solids) from tongue 5 and washes them into toilet bowl 17. This enables washing of nappy 1 without suffering the unpleasantness of removing the excreta directly. The excreta are also disposed of in a hygienic way. Furthermore the excreta are washed off of tongue 5 and into toilet bowl 17, thereby reducing the risk of contaminating main body portion 3 of nappy 1.

In a second aspect (not shown), arms 23 a-23 d and hoops 21 a-21 c of the wire frame are connected to each another at spot welds. This improves the appearance of nappy holder 15 and may enable holder 15 to be more easily manufactured.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. By way of example: the nappy holder may comprise a perforated structure having fewer holes than the nappy holder shown in FIGS. 2 to 4; the tongue portion of the nappy may be positioned at the rear of the toilet and the nappy holder may be arranged to allow the tongue to be so positioned; the nappy holder may be detachably mounted on the toilet; the nappy holder need not necessarily be bowl shaped.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A toilet having a nappy holder mounted thereon, the toilet comprising a toilet bowl and the nappy holder configured for holding and positioning a nappy with an excreta-collecting tongue portion of the nappy away from a main body portion of the nappy; such that when the toilet is flushed, water washes over the tongue portion to rinse excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl.
 17. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the nappy holder is configured to hold the nappy with at least part of the tongue portion located outside of the nappy holder.
 18. An arrangement according to claim 16, the nappy holder positioning at least part of the tongue portion between the nappy holder and the toilet bowl.
 19. An arrangement according to claim 16, the nappy holder configured to hold the nappy such that at least some of the tongue portion directly rests against the toilet bowl.
 20. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the nappy holder positions the tongue portion at the front of the toilet bowl.
 21. An arrangement according to claim 16, the nappy holder configured for positioning the tongue portion substantially parallel to the direction of the flush.
 22. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the nappy holder is defined, at least in part, by a wire frame, the frame being arranged such that the main body of the nappy is retained in the nappy holder whilst allowing passage of water through the nappy holder.
 23. An arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the wire frame comprises plastic-coated steel wire.
 24. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the nappy holder comprises a lip for supporting the tongue portion of the nappy such that the main body portion of the nappy is held in the nappy holder and the tongue portion of the nappy passes over the lip and at least partially extends from the nappy holder.
 25. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the nappy holder comprises a generally bowl-shaped region for holding the main body portion of the nappy.
 26. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the nappy holder is arranged to rest on a rim of the toilet bowl.
 27. A nappy holder being mountable on a toilet and being arranged for holding a nappy comprising a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby, the nappy holder arranged to position the tongue portion of the nappy away from the main body portion of the nappy, such that when the toilet is flushed, water washes over the tongue portion to rinse excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl.
 28. A nappy holder according to claim 27, the nappy holder configured to hold the nappy such that at least a portion of the nappy tongue hangs outside the nappy holder and away from the main body portion of the nappy.
 29. A nappy holder according to claim 27, the nappy holder comprising a lip for supporting the nappy tongue such that at least a portion of the tongue drapes over and hangs from the lip and outside the nappy holder.
 30. A method of washing a nappy comprising a main body portion and a tongue portion connected thereto for collecting excreta from a baby, the method comprising the steps of: providing a nappy holder; placing a nappy in the nappy holder such that the tongue of the nappy is positioned away from the main body portion of the nappy; mounting the nappy holder on a toilet; and flushing the toilet, such that when the toilet is flushed, water washes over the tongue portion of the nappy to rinse excreta off the tongue portion and into the toilet bowl.
 31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the nappy holder is configured to hold the nappy with at least a portion of its tongue draping over and extending outside of the nappy holder. 